Separator



Sept. 17, 1929. A, R, MUMFORD v 1,728,877

SEPARATOR Filed May 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y HORIZONTAL use INVENTOR AJZMIhP/bfd -XITNESSES wk 9 I 17 0% mill I 3" ATTORNEYS P 1929- A. R. MUMFORD 1,728,877

' SEPARATOR Filed May 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESSES Aifjlzmfani.

M i BY My ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT R. M'UMFORD, OF BOGOTA, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW YORK STEAM CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SEPARATOR Application filed May 5,

This invention relates to an improved ap paratus for and method of effecting the separation of solid articles from a moving gas stream in whicht e particles are suspended.

I-Ieretofore apparatus for and methods of accomplishing such a purpose have usually embodied a means for or the step of causing the gas stream to make a sharp turn or a change of direction so that the momentum of any solid particles would effect the carrying of the same out of the gas stream and into a retaining space. Other apparatus and methods have employed the principle of differential momentum between the gas and solid particles and made use of the effect of the differential force on solid particles and gas caused by a high tension electric field between two conductors. The foregoing apparatus and methods are open to certain objections and disadvantages, namely,-whenever a stream of gas is caused to make a sharp turn or change of direction, energy is consumed and wasted at the expense of the draft on the system, whether it be produced by a stack, mechanical fan,or steam jet aspirator, re-

sulting in a decrease in the energy available for moving the gas. It is obvious that this decrease in energy must be compensated for by increasing the power of the stack, the fan, or the steam feed to the induction jets, and, therefore, constitutes an added operating and maintenance expense. Otherwise, if the available power is not increased to offset the absorption of energy in the aforementioned types, their use results in a decreased ability to liberate energy by the combustion of fuel, and a consequent loss of available steam producing power.

In order to overcome the above recited objections and disadvantages, the present in- 1926. Serial No. 106,901.

stantially horizontal or non-vertical stream of gas, is to cause it to descend through the gas stream so that it will leave any horizontal enclosing element, such as a flue or pipe, at a lower level than that at which it entered. The invention hence embodies the utilization of the gravitational forcesby sub-dividing the element, such as a flue or pipe, substantially horizontally by partitions so that in a minimum length of travel the particle will come to rest or settle on a surface in a comparatively short space of time. In, other words, the trajectory of the particle is intersected and consequently shortened and once the particlehas come to'rest it will not be picked up again because the velocity of the gas is not sufficient to lift and put the same to flight again. I

The invention further aims to provide a separator in which the lower wall and the partition elements are formed with portions disposed at a sufficient lateral angle or inclination with respect to the path of travel of the particles so that the same coming to rest thereon will gravitate into a common trough through which a liquid stream is flushed to cause said particles thus trapped to be removed and carried to any suitable point of disposal.

As a still further object the invention resides in the provision of a separator of the character set forth in which only small streams or qualities of water or other flush- I ing liquids are needed, which, therefore, eliminates the necessity of exposing in the path of the gases from the boiler or furnace any large quantity of water which is a disadvantage due to the fact that the water absorbs certain corrosive gases and efiects rapid deterioration of the surface with which it comes in contact. Furthermore, due to the fact that only a a small quantity of water is to be supported, a lighter construction of apparatus may be employed. I

The invention comprehends, furthermore, an apparatus which is comparatively simple in its construction, inexpensive to produce and install. and'which is thoroughly reliable and highly eflicient in its purpose.

'With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention which is in no way intended as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims as it is to be clearly understood that variations and modifications which properly fall within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found eXpe-.

client.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view therethrough taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken approximately 0n the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a diagrammatic sectional view, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the apparatus consists of a hollow casing or body A which is disposed substantially horizontal or in a non-vertical plane and is adapted to be interposed in a flue through which a moving stream of gas passes. The casin or body A is sub-divided by a plurality of substantially horizontal or non-vertical partitions 15 preferably disposed parallel to each other and to the upper and lower walls of the casing or body A. It is of course obvious that the solid particles conveyed by the gas stream entering the inlet end of the casing A and suspended in the gas stream, being acted upon by gravity, will descend and come to rest withinthe casing A provided the same is of suflicicnt length that its bottom wall will intersect the trajectories before the particles escape through the outlet end while suspended. in order to insure the intersection of the trajectories of the particles while employing a casing or body A of a practical minimum length, the partitions B are employed and function to greatly reduce the point at which the trajectory of each solid particle is intersected whereby the particles will come to rest in a shorter length of time or space of travel, as is clearly shown in In carrying the invention into practice, however, the body or casing A is of substantially V-shape in cross section and includes upper and lower walls C and D, the former including upwardly and laterally diverging portions or plates 10 and 11 connected by an angle bar 12 at their inner ends. The latter includes upwardly and laterally diverging idrtions or plates 13 and 14: connected by an angle bar 15 at their inner ends. The outer ends of the portions or plates 10 and 13, and 11 and 1A are connected, respectively, by vertical walls 16 and 17, which, if desired, may be integral with the respective plates or portions. The partitions B follow the same general construction as the upper and lower walls, and each consists of a pair of upwardly and laterally diverging portions or plates 18 and 19 connected at their inner ends by the angle bars 20. The plates or portions 18 may be longitudinally corrugated as illustrated if so desired. It is obvious that the angle bar 15 which connects the portions or plates 13 and 14L of the lower wall and the angle bars 20 which connect the portions or plates 18 and 19 of the partitions B, serve as troughs into which particles coming to rest upon the upper surface of the lower wall portions or partition portions gravitate due to the fact that the angularity or inclination of the wall or partition portions is such as to cause the gravitational discharge of the same into the angle plates.

The body A is longitudinally inclined with respect to the horizontal, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that its outlet end designated at E is slightly below its inlet end indicated at F. Adjacent the inlet end F a conduit, such as a pipe 21, extends into the body A through its pper wall and is arranged alongside the leading or forward ends of the partitions B. This pipe 21 leads from a supply of water or other flushing fluid and is provided with an outlet nozzle 22 projecting over the forward or leading end of each angle bar 20. The lower end of the pipe or conduit terminates above the angle bar 15 and is closed by a plug 23 having an outlet opening 24 of substantially the same diameter as the nozzle 22. Under this arrangement, water or other fluid fed through the conduit or pipe 21 will flush the troughs formed by the angle bars while the device is in use, to carry off the solid particles which come to rest on the partitions or bottom wall portions and gravitate into the angle bars. At its outlet end E, the body or casing is provided with an upstanding plate 25 which constitutes a dam and immediately in advance of the plate 25 an outlet or discharge pipe 26 is provided which communicates with the bottom of the interior of the casing to carry off the water or flushing liquid which discharges from the partition or bottom wall troughs. It will be noted that the partitions B terminate in advance of the outlet end of the casing so that the discharge water or flushing fluid descends into the angle bar 15. The opposite ends of the casing are attached to suitable members 27 and 28 which are in turn connected with a flue in which the device is interposed.

From the foregoing'it will be seen that the gas stream laden with or having suspended therein solid particles, will in passing through the casing A permit of a gravitational deposit of the solid particles on the upper faces of the portions 13 and 14: and 18 and 19 of the bottom 'wall D and partitions B. The lateral inclination of the portions will, when the particles come to rest thereon, permit further gravitational slipping of the particles downwardly into the angle bars 15 and 20, which constitute troughs through which the moving streams of water or other flushing liquid passes so that the particles will be removed from the casing through the outlet pipe 26 and properly disposed of or recovered as the case may be.

The method of gravitationally separating solid particles from a moving gas stream, includes the step of passing the gas stream through a non-vertical separator chamber divided by a plurality of non-vertical partition members arranged so closely together that relatively slight gravitational movement of the particles will bring them to rest on the partitions.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that an apparatus for and a method of effecting the separation of solid particles from a gas stream, has been devised which accomplishes the purpose without imparting a draft on the system employed, whereby solid particles which at present emanate from smoke flues in the case of power plants, from the vents of coll'ee-roasting mills, from the stacks of ore preparations plants, etc., which cause anuisance or financial loss, may be disposed of or recovered in a simple, efiicient and economical manner.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for effecting the gravitational separation of solid particles from a moving gas stream, including a hollow member having upper and'lower walls disposed in a non-vertical position and through which the gas stream moves, means arranged within said member for intersecting trajectories of the particles and shortening their horizontal travel whereby to bring the same to rest and out of suspension in the gas stream for causing a rapid separation, said means comprising partitions disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the upper and lower walls of the member, the said upper and lower walls of the member having laterally and upwardly diverging portions which with the partitions, are disposed at a sufficient angle to the horizontal to permit of a gravitational discharge of the particles coming to rest thereon toward the inner edges of the partitions and the transverse center of the lower wall, means for continuously flushing the centers of the partitions and lower wall with a liquid to carry off the particles thus dropped and separated, and a discharge outlet for the flushing liquid containing the dropped and separated particles.

2. An apparatus for effecting the separation of solid particles from a moving gas stream, comprising a hollow casing of substantially V-shape in cross section arranged in a non-vertical position and through which the gas stream moves, the inlet end of said casing being elevated with respect to the outlet end, substantially V-shaped partitions arranged within the casing in substantially parallel relation to the upper and lower walls of the casing and sub-dividing the same, means for introducing adjacent the inlet end, a stream of flushing liquid over the lowermost upper surfaces of the partitions and bottom wall whereby the solid particles which gravitationally come to rest upon the upper surfaces of the partitions and bottom wall and which gravitate on to the lower points thereof, are conveyed away by means of the stream of flushing liquid.

3. An apparatus of the character set forth comprising a hollow casing of substantially V-shape cross sectional configuration disposed in a substantially horizontal position and through which a gas stream is adapted to be moved, substantially V-shaped partitions separated within the casing in approximately parallel relation to the upper and lower walls of the casing and sub-dividing the same and means for continuously flushing the centers of the partitions and the lower wall with a liquid as and for the purpose specified.

ALBERT R. MUMFORD. 

